shipping to ffl

B

buckstopshere

New member
So I have another firearm to sell and the guy/gal? says that his dealer will accept transfers from individuals. Now I have always dealt with my FFL on transfers. I was about to send an e-mail back to the potential buyer saying that I must go through my FFL, but before I did I checked the wonderful BATF website and found this

(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier? [Back]


A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

So, has my FFL been ripping me off $25 every time I ship a handgun since this states that I can send a handgun to a license holder in other state? As I understand this I can pack up the handgun in a box, take it to FedEx or have them come by the house, ship it overnight and be done, Right? I still think it would be a good idea to have A signed copy of the FFL I'm sending it to which needs to be in said package right?
 
You can ship it to an FFL yourself. Some FFL holders won't accept shipment from a non FFL tho. By all means include a copy of the recievers FFL in the package. I usually ship through my FFL dealer because he handles everything. I take him the gun, he packages it and ships it for 20 bucks and I don't have to do anything. You'll also want the buyers name and address in the package and some FFL dealers want a copy of the sellers driver license before they'l release a gun to the buyer. Check to be sure before you ship. I ran into that hassle buying one once before.
 
Yeah, see my FFL has charged me $25 for transfer and then an extra $25 for shipping. So I'm spending $50 when I could be spending half that and do it myself. Now I do recall seeing that some dealers, e.g. those on gunbroker, stating that they don't accept firearms from private individuals. Makes sense now.
 
I have run into the same problem. First, my local FFLs charge $50 on each end. So, if I go through a dealer, I pay $50 to ship and $50 to receive. Plus shipping.

When I wanted to send 4 of my guns to the factory for service, my FFL wanted $50 per firearm, plus shipping. Then he wanted $50 to get them back to me. That is an extra $400.

So, I went to ship UPS or FEDEX. They wanted to force me to pay overnight rates, because they said their employees were stealing the guns sent ground. For 4 guns in one box, this was over $100.

Looking at this law, I found that you can do it yourself, you don't have to declare it, and you save the money.


27 CFR 478

§478.31 Delivery by common or contract carrier.

(a) No person shall knowingly deliver or cause to be delivered to any common or contract carrier for transportation or shipment in interstate or foreign commerce to any person other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, any package or other container in which there is any firearm or ammunition without written notice to the carrier that such firearm or ammunition is being transported or shipped: Provided, That any passenger who owns or legally possesses a firearm or ammunition being transported aboard any common or contract carrier for movement with the passenger in interstate or foreign commerce may deliver said firearm or ammunition into the custody of the pilot, captain, conductor or operator of such common or contract carrier for the duration of that trip without violating any provision of this part.
 
I don't think the USPS will ship handguns anymore and depending on who's working here some won't ship long guns, not even antiques. I just got to where I go through my FFL for all of it. Y'all need to find another FFL dealer. The ones ya'll are using are ripping y'all off big time..........All them Y'alls, I must be from the South.:D
 
You may ship a handgun by FedEx or UPS as long as it is going to an FFL. You do not need to ship a copy of the FFL with it. I would advise you to take a copy of it when you ship in case they want to see it. You must tell them that your shipping a handgun.

Be advised that you must use and will be paying for Priority Overnight by using FedEx or UPS and that it usually costs $40-$50 or more to ship this way. My FFL charges me $40 to ship a handgun....$15 for postage through USPS and $25 to run it through his books.

So to me its a wash or actually costs more to ship a handgun myself although it does get there next day if you use FedEx.
 
My FFL charges me $40 to ship a handgun....$15 for postage through USPS and $25 to run it through his books.
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I can't believe how much you guys are paying to ship. When I first moved here and bought my first gun online I balked at paying 25.00 for transfer fees when I was paying 15.00 where I was from. I found this guy and he charges 20.00 for transfer fees when I buy one and 20.00 to ship one.
 
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